On Saturday we saw the National Theatre touring production of 'One man two Guvnors,' by Richard Bean based on The Servant with Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni, with songs by Grant Olding.
The auditorium of the Wales Milennium Centre was packed with a very appreciative audience of over 1800. North Walian actor,Owain Arthur played the lead role of 'the man/servant' He was OTT at times ( I guess he was supposed to be but his laughing at himself messing up got on my nerves after a while) and some of the so-called audience participation bits seemed a bit too rehearsed. Coming out of the tradition of Commedia dell 'Arte it was like watching a 'Carry On' piece. In fact in the programme there's a picture of Barbara Windsor in 'Carry On Camping.'
The audience loved it. I enjoyed it although some of the romantic relationships I found hardly credible.. It's certainly something very different from NT touring productions I've seen before. I wondered if I'd have enjoyed it more with James Corden in the lead?
Monday 28 January 2013
Thursday 10 January 2013
ARTES MUNDI 5- 3 days left!
The National Museum says that,
'Artes Mundi is Wales' biggest and most exciting visual art exhibition. It's the UK's largest art prize and one of the most important in the world...explores social themes from across the globe with insight,compassion and humour. From popular culture to politics, from death to displacement, the use of painting, sculpture,installation,photography, film and performance offers an artistic platform for commentary on the world we live in today.'
We'd missed all the events associated with the exhibition at the Museum and at venues across Cardiff, that started in October 12 and finishes this Sunday,13th of Janaury 2013. What a pity! This is such a thought provoking exhibition and has developed considerably over the years. This is the fifth bi-annual exhibition. If you can't make it by Sunday, downloadable audio tours are available from ww.artesmundi.org, but I'm not sure how long these will be available.
We decided to take the reality tour and were lucky to have an outstanding guide, Heloise Godfrey. Art of now can be very challenging and it's easy enough to dismiss it without understanding its context and meaning. Heloise didn't lecture us, she asked us questions,'How does this make you feel?','What's your immediate reaction?,' What do you think?' She helped us see the multi-layeredness of the pieces about what it is to be human, and come to our own conclusions. The tour was informative, the exhibition fascinating, intriguing, moving and as ever made me ask of some pieces,'But is it art?'
Artists include Swedish Miriam Backstrom,Cuban Tania Bruguera,Phil Collins, Indian Sheela Gowda, Mexican Teresa Margolles, Darius Miksys, and Apolonija Sustersic. The judges' winner was Teresa Margolles, whose macabre and moving pieces set in a morgue are about violent deaths caused by drug gangsters in Mexico.
While we were on the tour, the audience vote was being counted. My suspicion is that the audience vote will go to Miriam Backstrom. Her piece is a huge tapestry of cotton, wool, silk and lurex woven in Flanders. It depicts figures in a room composed of mirror fragments, creating millions of reflections. The more you look into it the more there is to see and think about. The reason I think this will win the audience vote is because of the sophistication of the medium and becuase it is so well crafted. It reminded me of Grayson Perry's work- a combination of interesting ideas, an original narrative and extremely well crafted.
For me the photography of Phil Collins is not unlike the work of Martin Parr, and therefore not particularly original; Sustersic's Tiger Bay Project is more like social history. I liked Tania Bruguera's performance piece of police on real horses in the Museum foyer(we watched the video) on the subject of power and control. I admire her Immigrant Respect political campaign. But overall, I think I'm with Grayson Perry, that to stand up as serious art, the piece not only has to ask questions and challenge but should also include craftmanship in the process. Tell me what you think!
'Artes Mundi is Wales' biggest and most exciting visual art exhibition. It's the UK's largest art prize and one of the most important in the world...explores social themes from across the globe with insight,compassion and humour. From popular culture to politics, from death to displacement, the use of painting, sculpture,installation,photography, film and performance offers an artistic platform for commentary on the world we live in today.'
We'd missed all the events associated with the exhibition at the Museum and at venues across Cardiff, that started in October 12 and finishes this Sunday,13th of Janaury 2013. What a pity! This is such a thought provoking exhibition and has developed considerably over the years. This is the fifth bi-annual exhibition. If you can't make it by Sunday, downloadable audio tours are available from ww.artesmundi.org, but I'm not sure how long these will be available.
We decided to take the reality tour and were lucky to have an outstanding guide, Heloise Godfrey. Art of now can be very challenging and it's easy enough to dismiss it without understanding its context and meaning. Heloise didn't lecture us, she asked us questions,'How does this make you feel?','What's your immediate reaction?,' What do you think?' She helped us see the multi-layeredness of the pieces about what it is to be human, and come to our own conclusions. The tour was informative, the exhibition fascinating, intriguing, moving and as ever made me ask of some pieces,'But is it art?'
Artists include Swedish Miriam Backstrom,Cuban Tania Bruguera,Phil Collins, Indian Sheela Gowda, Mexican Teresa Margolles, Darius Miksys, and Apolonija Sustersic. The judges' winner was Teresa Margolles, whose macabre and moving pieces set in a morgue are about violent deaths caused by drug gangsters in Mexico.
While we were on the tour, the audience vote was being counted. My suspicion is that the audience vote will go to Miriam Backstrom. Her piece is a huge tapestry of cotton, wool, silk and lurex woven in Flanders. It depicts figures in a room composed of mirror fragments, creating millions of reflections. The more you look into it the more there is to see and think about. The reason I think this will win the audience vote is because of the sophistication of the medium and becuase it is so well crafted. It reminded me of Grayson Perry's work- a combination of interesting ideas, an original narrative and extremely well crafted.
For me the photography of Phil Collins is not unlike the work of Martin Parr, and therefore not particularly original; Sustersic's Tiger Bay Project is more like social history. I liked Tania Bruguera's performance piece of police on real horses in the Museum foyer(we watched the video) on the subject of power and control. I admire her Immigrant Respect political campaign. But overall, I think I'm with Grayson Perry, that to stand up as serious art, the piece not only has to ask questions and challenge but should also include craftmanship in the process. Tell me what you think!
Wednesday 9 January 2013
ART IN NATURE 2- DAVID NASH
David Nash is one of my favourite environmental artists. His studio is in North Wales but he has recently completed a residency at Kew Botanic Gardens and this exhibition is situated both inside the gallery and within the grounds. In his catalogue the artist says,
'...we cannot separate ourselves from the natural world. Our actions, from everyday activities to essential industrial work have an impact on it. My work invites the same consideration. Nature is the essence of our continued existence-it guides us spiritually and takes care of us practically. Wood, specifically, is a fundamental survival material, providing us with material to build homes and with fule to keep us warm. The art that I create is fed by such a union, and should always be observed with this essential, unique and sometimes challenging relationship in mind.'
As well as some monumental pieces, there are some smaller objects crafted from recycled wood found in Kew- beautiful shapes, beautifully crafted. What I particularly enjoyed was a short contemplative film about the journey of a boulder of an ancient oak tree from the forest in the Ffestiniog hills down to Cardigan Bay. Filmed over several years the boulder takes on a personality of its own-lonely, courageous, determined, solid. In Cardigan Bay there is evidence of ancient forests buried by the sea. When the boulder reached the estuary, there was almost a feeling of it coming home. Its journey isn't over yet. Who knows when and where else it may turn up?
The exhibition is on until April 2013. I urge you to go and experience it. For more info see www.kew.org
'...we cannot separate ourselves from the natural world. Our actions, from everyday activities to essential industrial work have an impact on it. My work invites the same consideration. Nature is the essence of our continued existence-it guides us spiritually and takes care of us practically. Wood, specifically, is a fundamental survival material, providing us with material to build homes and with fule to keep us warm. The art that I create is fed by such a union, and should always be observed with this essential, unique and sometimes challenging relationship in mind.'
As well as some monumental pieces, there are some smaller objects crafted from recycled wood found in Kew- beautiful shapes, beautifully crafted. What I particularly enjoyed was a short contemplative film about the journey of a boulder of an ancient oak tree from the forest in the Ffestiniog hills down to Cardigan Bay. Filmed over several years the boulder takes on a personality of its own-lonely, courageous, determined, solid. In Cardigan Bay there is evidence of ancient forests buried by the sea. When the boulder reached the estuary, there was almost a feeling of it coming home. Its journey isn't over yet. Who knows when and where else it may turn up?
The exhibition is on until April 2013. I urge you to go and experience it. For more info see www.kew.org
ART IN NATURE
While in London this new year we went to two really interesting exhibitions.
The first at The Whitechapel Gallery, is called 'Urban Nature': Four seasons of events on art,nature and the city inspired by the Bloomsberg Commission: Guiseppe Penone, Jan-March 2013.
'Italian artist, Giuseppe Penone presents Spazio de Luce, a twelve metre bronze cast of a tree with a radiant gold-leaf interior specially conceived for the Whitechapel Gallery.Conceived around the structure of a tree-from roots to base, trunk to branch, it invites artists, activists, architects,philosopher and scientists to engage in four seasons of discussions and actions.'
It is an intriguing and magical piece. It made me feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland peering down the golden hollow interior of this man-made tree, spiralling to its roots and to the infinity of the imagination.
Check the exhibition and programme out at www.whitechapelgallery.org
The first at The Whitechapel Gallery, is called 'Urban Nature': Four seasons of events on art,nature and the city inspired by the Bloomsberg Commission: Guiseppe Penone, Jan-March 2013.
'Italian artist, Giuseppe Penone presents Spazio de Luce, a twelve metre bronze cast of a tree with a radiant gold-leaf interior specially conceived for the Whitechapel Gallery.Conceived around the structure of a tree-from roots to base, trunk to branch, it invites artists, activists, architects,philosopher and scientists to engage in four seasons of discussions and actions.'
It is an intriguing and magical piece. It made me feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland peering down the golden hollow interior of this man-made tree, spiralling to its roots and to the infinity of the imagination.
Check the exhibition and programme out at www.whitechapelgallery.org
THE DARK EARTH & THE LIGHT SKY
This is the first really good play I've seen for a while. It is the story of Edward Thomas, a poet writing at the time of WW1, seen through the eyes of his wife, Robert Frost, Eleanor Farjeon and his father. It's an excellent script written by Nick Dear. I've just read the review by Michael Billington in the Guardian which nicely summarises much of my own views so rather than repeat less eloquently, I'm reproducing it below. It's made me keen to read Thomas's poetry.
Oh, Billington doesn't mention the superb lighting design by Peter Mumford. Peter lived in the same village and our children went to the same school. We've lost touch now but it's great to see he's still producing great work.
'.... Nick Dear overcomes the difficulties in this probing, intelligent piece about Edward Thomas, who produced a formidable body of work between 1914 and his death at Arras in 1917. Dear makes no attempt to disguise the jagged awkwardness of Thomas's depressive personality; what he does is explore the impulses that drove Thomas to write, in a way that makes you want to reread the poetry itself.
Avoiding the traps of the bio-play, Dear presents Thomas's life from multiple perspectives. To his free-spirited wife, Helen, appalled by his decision to enlist in the war in his late 30s, he was a source of anguished passion. To his mentor Robert Frost, who shared his vision of a poetic diction hewn from everyday speech, he was someone driven less by a death wish than a desire to test his own worth. To his adoring friend, Eleanor Farjeon, he was someone who found his inspiration in a harsh, accidental nature. But, although it offers a welter of explication, Dear's play leaves us free to make up our own minds about Thomas. What we see is a fractious figure who inspires great love, a cricket-loving traditionalist who becomes a poetic modern, a patriot who apparently seeks his own death. There's a perpetual mystery about Thomas that the play rightly never resolves.
Even if there is an ambivalence about Thomas's personality, there is absolute clarity to Richard Eyre's excellent production: against a Bob Crowley backcloth that beautifully reflects the shifting colours of an English sky, we witness Thomas's seemingly inexorable progress towards death. Pip Carter, as the poet, is both the obsessive note-taker about nature and a haunted figure communing with some unseen spirit. Hattie Morahan brilliantly conveys the fraught sensuality of his wife, and there is good support from Shaun Dooley as Frost and Pandora Colin as the devoted acolyte. By modern standards, it's a quiet play – but it poignantly reflects the contradictions of a poet whom Ted Hughes called "the father of us all".'
Oh, Billington doesn't mention the superb lighting design by Peter Mumford. Peter lived in the same village and our children went to the same school. We've lost touch now but it's great to see he's still producing great work.
'.... Nick Dear overcomes the difficulties in this probing, intelligent piece about Edward Thomas, who produced a formidable body of work between 1914 and his death at Arras in 1917. Dear makes no attempt to disguise the jagged awkwardness of Thomas's depressive personality; what he does is explore the impulses that drove Thomas to write, in a way that makes you want to reread the poetry itself.
Avoiding the traps of the bio-play, Dear presents Thomas's life from multiple perspectives. To his free-spirited wife, Helen, appalled by his decision to enlist in the war in his late 30s, he was a source of anguished passion. To his mentor Robert Frost, who shared his vision of a poetic diction hewn from everyday speech, he was someone driven less by a death wish than a desire to test his own worth. To his adoring friend, Eleanor Farjeon, he was someone who found his inspiration in a harsh, accidental nature. But, although it offers a welter of explication, Dear's play leaves us free to make up our own minds about Thomas. What we see is a fractious figure who inspires great love, a cricket-loving traditionalist who becomes a poetic modern, a patriot who apparently seeks his own death. There's a perpetual mystery about Thomas that the play rightly never resolves.
Even if there is an ambivalence about Thomas's personality, there is absolute clarity to Richard Eyre's excellent production: against a Bob Crowley backcloth that beautifully reflects the shifting colours of an English sky, we witness Thomas's seemingly inexorable progress towards death. Pip Carter, as the poet, is both the obsessive note-taker about nature and a haunted figure communing with some unseen spirit. Hattie Morahan brilliantly conveys the fraught sensuality of his wife, and there is good support from Shaun Dooley as Frost and Pandora Colin as the devoted acolyte. By modern standards, it's a quiet play – but it poignantly reflects the contradictions of a poet whom Ted Hughes called "the father of us all".'
- The Dark Earth and the Light Sky
- Almeida,
- London
- Until 12 January
- Box office:
020-7359 4404 - Full details
JENNY HAMES
My dear friend Jenny Hames died on 2nd January 2013 after a battle with cancer. We met in Athens in 1974, when we were both working there. She was the New Zealand consul and a very talented photographer. We made many trips together across Greece and had a lot of fun. A memorial service is being held at the end of January in Auckland.
Janet Daniel
A TRIBUTE TO JENNY HAMES
Terracotta and blue
define your memory.
Colours of earth, sky, sea
run through your veins,
germinate in your soul;
surface
as warmth, light, depth, vision,
and grow
in all that you are,
loved by all whom you know.
2 January 2013
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